Woodstock Downtown Panel Maps Its Strategy

Task Force Aiming To Involve The Public

How to spread the word and get the public involved in the revival of downtown Woodstock were the focus of Wednesday's meeting of the newly formed Greater Square Renaissance Task Force.

Made up of city officials and private citizens, the ex-officio task force is strictly advisory and charged with helping to guide the renovation and future development of Woodstock's central business district.

Formation of the task force was spurred, in part, by the city's plans to demolish the old Woodstock Die Cast plant just north of the Union Pacific tracks and the historic square, and to restore to the tax rolls its 10 acres by having it developed for residential and commercial uses.

The 17-member task force was appointed by Mayor Bill Anderson last November and charged specifically with focusing on renovation of the "greater square" area, which includes the former Die Cast property.

According to Terry Willcockson of the city's Business Development Department, the long-range goal is to implement a conceptual plan developed for the city by Teska Associates, a firm that specializes in historic downtown planning and renovation.

Robert Teska, president of the Evanston-based firm, has characterized Woodstock as "a quintessential Midwest Victorian community with few rivals in its class."

Teska's plan calls for redeveloping the Die Cast land with homes and businesses once it is cleared of the existing, abandoned and deteriorating structure. The site was acquired by the city through foreclosure on past-due utility bills when the last owner of the property went into bankruptcy.

Hand-in-hand with development of the property, Willcockson said, will be implementation of a business retention program that will provide low-cost loans to downtown property owners for facade renovations and customer training programs.

In addition, she said, the task force, working through the Business Development Department, will promote increased tourism.

"The thrust of the task force is to get more community involvement," Willcockson said.

At Wednesday's meeting, task force member Cheryl Wormley reported that her public relations committee had budgeted about $900 for videotaping the plant as it now stands and during various stages of demolition.

The footage, she said, could be used to keep the public informed of the task force's goals and progress.

Along the same lines, City Councilwoman Joan Mansfield, who also serves on the task force, said the public relations committee "wants to do a portable display of some sort . . . to keep the public aware of what's going on."

The display, she said, would make the rounds of the library, bank lobbies and other high-traffic areas.

Reporting for the task force's facade improvement committee, Bob Madjak said his group plans to "work closely with the (city's) Historic Preservation Commission," which oversees restoration projects in what is roughly the same area as the task force venue.

Madjak said he planned to ask for donations from local businesses and interested residents to help finance architectural renderings of possible facade renovations.

Funds for the group's five-year plan are expected to be raised by the city's designation of the greater square area as a tax increment financing district.

The City Council is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the TIF proposal at 7 p.m. April 2.

If a TIF district is created, the city could sell general obligation bonds to raise funds to finance the improvements. The bonds would be paid off with the new tax revenues generated by development.